Automatic ignition mechanism for gaseous fuel burners



J. M. HOFF May 8, 1956 AUTOMATIC IGNITION MECHANISM FOR GASEOUS FUEI.. BURNERS Filed April l, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. BYJO/m M. Hoff MAM /QZW May 8, 1956 1 M HOFF 2,744,569

AUTOMATIC IGNIT-ION MECHANISM FOR GASEOUS FUEL BURNERS Filed April l, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N V EN TOR.

Joh/7 /7. #o ff May 8, 1956 J. M. HOFF 2,744,569

AUTOMATIC IGNITION MECHANISM FOR GASEOUS FUEL BURNERS Filed April l, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent O AUTOMATIC IGNITION MECHANISM FOR GASEOUS FUEL BURNERS John M. Hoff, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to The Tappan Stove Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 1, 1954, Serial No. 420,249

12 Claims. (Cl. 15S- 115) This invention relates to a burner mechanism for the top burners of cooking ranges using gaseous fuel, and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 367,833 filed Iuly 14, 1953.

Heretofore burner mechanisms of this general type usually included a gaseous fuel pilot burner which was remote from the main burner and was supplied with fuel through a separate conduit which was independent of the main burner. The valve which controlled the supply of fuel to the main burner also controlled the supply of fuel to the pilot burner and was therefore necessarily more complicated and expensive than a valve which controlled only the supply of fuel to the main burner. When turned on the pilot burner was ignited by an electric resistance ignition coil and the pilot burner in turn ignited the main burner through a flash tube which extended between the pilot burner and the main burner.

My new and improved ignition mechanism enables me to eliminate the pilot burner, the supply conduit therefor, the iiash tube, and the complicated control valve, thus providing a much simpler and a much less expensive, but nevertheless a very eiiicient automatic ignition mechanism.

In accordance with my invention, I provide the main burner with a single jet which extends outwardly from a side of the burner below the main jets, and I removably mount an ignition and control element in close proximity to the discharge end of the side jet. When the burner is turned on the ignition and control element ignites the side jet and it in turn ignites the main jets of the burner. The ignition and control element comprises a base of insulating material on which are mounted an electric resistance coil and a thermally responsive switch in series with each other. The ignition and control element is so mounted that the ignition coil is out of the path of fuel being emitted by the auxiliary jet, and the thermally responsive switch is in position to be heated by a flame from the auxiliary jet. Detlecting means is therefor provided independent of the main burner and is operative to deflect fuel being emitted by the auxiliary jet from its normal path into engagement with the electric ignition coil, but is not operative to deflect a flame from the auxiliary jet from its normal path into engagement with the ignition coil. 1n operation the burner control valve is manually opened, to supply fuel to the burner, which simultaneously effects the energization of the electric ignition coil which then ignites the side jet which in turn ignites the main jets of the burner. After the thermally responsive switch has been suiiiciently heated by the flame from the auxiliary jet it will open and break the circuit to and de-energize the electric ignition coil.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved, eiicient, simple and inexpensive burner mechanism for the top burners of cooking ranges.

Other and more limited objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view showing any automatic rice ignition mechanism constructed according to my invention applied to the top burner o'f a cooking range;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the ignition and control element showing it removed from the range;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the element shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. l, and shown in combination with a wiring diagram;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the base upon which the electric resistance ignition element and the thermally responsive switch are mounted;

Fig. S is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing a slightly modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a top plan View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. l0 is a perspective view of the base shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

In the drawing the scale of Fig. 1 is substantially twothirds (2/3) of the actual size and the scale of Figs. 2 to l0, inclusive, is substantially double the actual size.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters the numerals 1 and 2 are applied to the front and one side wall respectively of a cooking range, and the numeral 3 to one of the top burners therefor. Gas is supplied to the burner 3 through its mixing tube 4 from a fuel supply manifold 5. A cut-olf valve 6 which is adapted to be manually opened and closed by a handle 7 and valve stem 8 is provided to control the supply of fuel to the burner 3.

The burner 3, as shown herein, is generally ringshaped and has a plurality of main jets or orifices 10 arranged in an annular row in the bevelled surface 11 adjacent the top of the burner, and an auxiliary jet or orifice 12 which extends radially outwardly from the side of the burner below the annular row of main jets 10. When fuel is supplied to the burner 3, by the opening of the valve 6, the auxiliary jet 12 is automatically ignited by an ignition and control element generally indicated by the numeral 14, and the main jets 10 are ignited by the auxiliary jet 12.

The ignition and control element 14 is mounted on an arm 15 of suitable insulating material which is adjustably secured by bolts 16 to a bracket 17 which is secured to the side wall 2 as indicated at 18 and extends inwardly therefrom. The free end of the arm 15 has a pair of vertically disposed eiectric connector sockets 19 and 20 suitably secured therein. The ignition and control element 14 comprises a base 21, of suitable insulating material, having a pair of vertically disposed connector prongs 22 and 23 mounted therein, which extend down below the base 21 and are adapted to be removably seated in the sockets 19 and 20 respectively. The base 21 also carries an electric resistance ignition coil 24 and a normally closed thermally responsive switch generally indicated by the numeral 25.

The switch 25 comprises a stationary contact 26, which is secured to a conductor arm 27 carried by the block 21, and a movable Contact 28 which is secured to the free end of a horizontally disposed bimetallic conductor arm 29, the other end of which is connected to the upper end of the prong 22. The electric resistance ignition coil 24 which consists of a short helical coil of fine wire has one end connected to the conductor 27, as indicated at 30, and the other end thereof connected to the projecting upper end of the prong 23 as indicated at 31.

The ignition coil 24 and the thermally responsive switch 25 are partially enclosed by a pair of spaced side walls 32 and a connecting rear wall 33 which are formed integral with the base 21 and extend upwardly therefrom and' terminate in a'horizontal plane above the horizontally disposed conductor arm- 29 of-the Y. switch. In use the element 14 is so positioned with respect to the side jet 12 that a flame therefrom will impinge on the bimetallic arm'29, but will never impingeon the electric ignition coil 24 which, greatly lengtheus the life ofthe coil 24. When-theburneristurnedfon bythe valve 6i gas being projected vout from `the side jet 12'will-=stril-;e the rearwall S31-.of the element14, which will -fan itout-'and confine it-b'et-ween-the walls 32 and 33aroundthe coil V24 so that it can be ignited as soon as the coil 24 is energized which-is substantially simultaneouslywith the opening of the valve 6. After the gas around the coil-24 has been ignited-'itwill flash-back toi-the jet 12after which the amefrom-the jet 12 will lbe projected straight-.outwardly therefrom against the bimetallic arm 29 as indicatedl in Figs. 2', 31and 5.

A normallyv open'switch :i5-having the terminals 36 and 37 is mounted adjacent the valve 6and is adapted to be opened and closed by a cam 33 carried by the Valve stem 8 through the medium of a plunger 39. The arrangement'is'such that the switch 35 is'simultaneously closed with the opening of the valve 6 and is simultaneously opened Vwith the closing of the valve 6. The terminal 26is connected to the socket 19 by a lead 40 and the terminal 37 is connected to one side of the secondary winding 41 of a transformer 42 by a lead 43. The other side of the secondary winding 41 is connected to the socket20 by a lead 44.' The primary winding 45 of the transformerjis connected to the house line 46-47 by the leads`48 and 49.

In operation the valve 6 is manually opened by the turning of the handle 7 and valve stem 8, to supply gas to the burner 3, The opening of the valve 6 simultaneously closes the normally open switch 35. Current then ilows from one side of thesecondary winding 42 through the lead 43, switch 35 and lead it? to the socket 19. From the socket 19 the current flows through the prong 22, arm 29, contacts 23 and 26,conductor arm 27 and electric resistance ignition` coil 24'to the prong 23, and from the prong 23 the current iiows back to the other side of the secondary winding 41 through the socket 20 an'd'lead 44. This energizes the ignition coil 24 which then ignites the auxiliary jet 12 which in turn ignites the main jets 10of the burner 3. After being ignited the jet 12" projects a flame against the bimetallic arm 29. After the arm 29 has been sufficiently heated 4itwill ex and separate the contacts 26 and 23 which will break the circuit to and de-energize the ignition coil 24. To terminate operation the valve 6 is closed and the switch 3S simultaneously opened by the handle 7 and valve stem 8. After the jet 12 is extinguished by cutting olf the supply of gas thereto the arm 29 will cool and close the switch 25. The mechanism is then in condition for the next loperation thereof.

If the ignition coil 24 burns out or the switch 25 becomes inoperative for any reason, the element 14 may beV removed and discarded and another element 14 having an unimpaired `ignition coil and switch substituted therefor.

In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 I have shown a slightly modied form of the invention. In this form of the invention I provide. the base 21 of the ignition and control element 14with an intermediate wall orpartition 50 which is parallel to the side walls 32 and is provided with a rectangular indentation- 51 in the -upper edge thereof-and a rectangular aperture 52 therethrough adjacent the bottom thereof. Otherwise this form of the invention is identical with that shown in Figs. lto 6 and the same reference characters have been applied to like parts. As shown in Figs. 8 and '9 .the wall 56' is disposed between therelectricresistance ignition element 24 and the contacts.-26and, 28 ofthe thermallyI responsive switch 25. The wall or partition 50 is provided to shield the contacts 26 and 28 from the direct radiation of heat from the. jet12and from burned gases, both of which increase the corrosion or oxidation of the contacts 26 and 28 and thereby impair their eficiency and decrease their life. The indentation 51 is provided for the reception of the bimetallic arm 29 and the aperture 52 is provided for the reception of the conductor arm 27.

FromA the foregoingit will be apparent to those skilled in this art that I have provided'a-very simple, eiiicient and inexpensive mechanism for automatically igniting a cooking range burner whenever the control valve therefor is opened-to supply gas thereto.

It is to be understood that I am not limited to the speciiic construction-shown and described herein as various modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A burner mechanism for a gaseous fuel range comprising a main burner having a plurality` of main jets in an-uppersurface thereof, an auxiliary jet extending outwardly from a -side Wall ofsaid burner below the main jets therein and operative when ignited to ignite said main jets, an-ignition and control element mounted adjacent said auxiliary jet and-rdirectly receiving fuel therefrom, an electric resistance ignition coil carried by said element out of-'thet-path of gaseous fuel being emitted by said auxiliary jet, and dellecting means independent of said main burner carriedl by said element by which said gaseous fuel is deflected into engagement with said ignition coil, whereby said gaseous fuel is ignited by said ignition coil wheny said coil is energized.

2. A burner mechanism-as defined in claim l in which a normally closed thermally responsive switch is carried by said ignition and control element in series with said ignition coil, said switch'including a contact carrying arm whichis mounted in position to be impinged `upon by a liame froml said auxiliaryjet and is operative when heated by said ame to open said normally closed switch.

3. A burnertmechanism as Vdefined in claim 2 in which a normally open manually operable switch is disposed in series with said thermally responsive normally closed switch and-said electric resistance ignition coil.

4. A burner mechanism vas .defined in claim 3 in which said normally-open switch is adapted to be simultaneously closedl and openedtwith the opening and closing of the control valve for said burner.

5. A burner mechanism for a gaseous fuel range comprising `a main burner having a plurality of main jets in an upper surface thereof, an auxiliary jet extending outwardly Afrom a side wal-l of said burner below the main jets therein and operative when ignited to ignite said main jets, and` an ignition and control element removably mounted on a iixed support adjacent said auxiliary jet and directly receiving fuel therefrom; said element comprising av base, an electric resistance ignition coil carried by said `base out of the path of gaseous fuel being emitted by saidauxiliary jet, a normally closed thermally responsive switch mounted on said base in series with said coil, and a pair ofV spaced end wallsand a connecting rear wall extending upwardly from said base and partially surrounding saidcoil and said switch said end walls and connecting rear wall constituting deecting means'independent of said'burner by which said gaseous fuel is deilected into engagement withr said ignition coil, whereby said gaseous fuel is ignited by saidiignition coil when said coil is energized.

6. Aburner mechanism as defined in claim 5 in which a .normallyopen manually operable switch is disposed in series with said thermally responsive normally closed switch and said electriciesistance ignition coil.

7. Aburner mechanism as defined in claim 6 in which said normally ,open switch is adapted to be simultaneously closed 'and opened withthe opening and closing of the control valve for said burner.

8. Aburner mechanism for a gaseous fuel range comprising a main burner having a plurality of main jets in an upper surface thereof, an auxiliary jet extending outwardly from a side wall of stid burner below the main jets therein and operative when ignited to ignite said main jets, and an ignition and control element removably mounted on a fixed support adjacent said auxiliary jet and directly receiving fuel therefrom; said element comprising a base, an electric resistance ignition coil carried by said base out of the path of gaseous fuel being emitted by said auxiliary jet, a normally closed thermally responsive switch mounted on said base in series with said coil, said switch including a pair of normally engaging separable contacts, a pair of spaced parallel end walls and a connecting rear wall extending upwardly from said base and partially surrounding said coil and said switch, and an intermediate wall extending upwardly from said base parallel to said end walls, said intermediate wall being disposed between said ignition coil and said separable contacts said rear wall and one of said end walls constituting deecting means independent of said burner by which said gaseous fuel is deflected into engagement with said ignition coil whereby said gaseous fuel is ignited by said ignition coil when said coil is energized, and said intermediate wall constituting a baille by which said contacts are shielded from the direct radiation of heat generated by said auxiliary jet when said jet is ignited.

9. A burner mechanism for a gaseous fuel range comprising a main burner having a plurality of main jets in an upper surface thereof, an auxiliary jet extending outwardly from a side wall of said burner below the main jets therein and operative when ignited to ignite said main jets, an ignition and control element mounted adjacent said auxiliary jet and directly receiving fuel therefrom, an electric resistance ignition coil carried by said element out of the path of gaseous fuel being emitted by said auxiliary jet, and deflecting means independent of said main burner carried by said element by which said gaseous fuel is deflected into engagement with said ignition coil, whereby said gaseous fuel is ignited by said ignition coil when said coil is energized, a thermally responsive switch comprising a pair of normally engaging separable contacts carried by said element, and means operative to shield said contacts from the direct radiation of heat generated by said auxiliary jet when ignited.

10. A burner mechanism as defined in claim 9 in which said contact shielding means comprises a partition disposed between said ignition coil and said contacts.

11. A burner mechanism for a gaseous fuel range comprising a main burner, a pilot burner operative when ignited to ignite said main burner, an ignition and control element removably mounted on a fixed support adjacent said pilot burner and directly receiving fuel therefrom; said element comprising a base, an electric resistance ignition coil carried by said base out of the path of gaseous fuel being emitted by said pilot burner, a normally closed thermally responsive switch mounted on said base in series with said coil, and a pair of spaced end walls and a connecting rear wall extending upwardly from said base and partially surrounding said coil and said switch, said end walls and connecting rear wall constituting dellecting means independent of said main burner by which said gaseous fuel is deected into engagement with said ignition coil, whereby said gaseous fuel is ignited by said ignition coil when said coil is energized.

l2. A burner mechanism for a gaseous fuel range comprising a main burner, a pilot burner operative when ignited to ignite said main burner, an ignition and control element removably mounted on a xed support adjacent said pilot burner and directly receiving fuel therefrom; said element comprising a base, an electric resistance ignition coil carried by said base out of the path of gaseous fuel being emitted by said pilot burner, a normally closed thermally responsive switch comprising a pair of normally engaging separable contacts mounted on said base in series with said ignition coil, a pair of spaced parallel end walls and a connecting rear wall extending upwardly from said base and partially surrounding said coil and said switch, and an intermediate wall extending upwardly from said base parallel to said end walls between said ignition coil and said separable contacts, said rear wall and one of said end walls constituting deilecting means independent of said main burner by which said gaseous fuel is deected into engagement with said ignition coil whereby said gaseous fuel is ignited by said ignition coil when energized, and said intermediate Wall constituting a bathe by which said contacts are shielded from the direct radiation of heat generated by said pilot burner when said pilot burner is ignited.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,041,014 Norton May 19, 1936 2,176,647 Thompson et al Oct. 17, 1939 2,487,752 Cohn Nov. 8, 1949 2,542,666 Hall Feb. 20, 1951 2,667,605 Massier Jan. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,873 Australia May 25, 1935 

